Can you give me a little bit of the history of your company and how it became involved in offering roadside assistance programs?

National Motor Club has been providing motor club benefits since 1956. As the automotive industry was exploding, the founders of the National Motor Club saw the need for automobile owners to receive assistance as they traveled the new Federal Highways as well as the traditional two-lane routes across the country. Going into our 57th year we are proud to be a continuous safety net for our members in the automobile, RV, and Commercial vehicle spaces.

How do you distinguish your product offerings from your competitors? What makes you different?

We provide specialized roadside assistance programs with customer service that meets and exceeds the high standards of our members and business partners. We have many touch points with every stranded motorist who calls us for assistance, whether they are a NMC member or have dispatch services through a business partner. Our U.S.-based customer service representatives answer the phone, in person, with every call. Roadside assistance is what we do, not a sideline. Because of this focus, we are able to go beyond cookie cutter roadside assistance and specialize in niche services such as classic cars and motorhomes.

Where do you focus your sales efforts when it comes to selling this service? EG: direct sales via dealers/agents; bundled with service contracts, etc. What would you consider your primary sales channel to be?

Like most roadside assistance companies, we have multiple sales channels. We offer our services on a wholesale basis, primarily as a value-added benefit included in other products or services. We also offer full memberships through independent direct sales agents, RV dealers, insurance agents and F&I offices nationwide. We realize that nothing happens until a sale is made, so we strive to serve not only the end customer but also the sales agent that represents our products and services.

How important is technology to your business? Where could technology add even more efficiencies to your products and processes?

Technology is vital to our business and provides the backbone to support the delivery of our service. From our proprietary dispatch systems, to our state-of-the-art location services, to our best of class phone systems, technology enables us to operate efficiently and deliver an exceptional customer experience. However, while we realize the importance of technology, we don’t lose site of the fact that when people are in a stressful situation – like on the shoulder of a busy highway with a flat tire – it is the human voice on the line offering assistance that our customers remember. We look for ways technology can enhance our level of service while still maintaining our commitment to high-touch service.

Where do you see the most growth potential for roadside assistance products in the future? What changes, if any, do you believe the product will see in the next 5-10 years?

Over the past 5-10 years, roadside service has become more prevalent in the marketplace. It is readily available to consumers through their credit cards, insurance policies and affinity groups. Add to that the prevalence of smart phones and the ability find assistance via “self-service”; it is clear to us that continuing to deliver exceptional service, integrating technology, providing ease of use and quality benefits are the long-term solution. At NMC, we will continue to strengthen our position as a premier service provider and custom solution innovator to serve various segments of the traveling public, and will remain focused on the needs of our business partners, sales agents and members.

This article was written by:

Toni McQuilken is the managing editor for AE Magazine and P&A Magazine. She has a decade of editorial experience in the trade publishing world, across several industries, including print and graphics, as well as hospitality and technology. To contact her, e-mail tmcquilken@mgigmedia.com.